You got into Columbia College, and that's an important accomplishment. It means you have the opportunity to earn a college degree, and that can be the key that unlocks your entire future. That future isn't a given, though. College isn't like high school. A handful of low grades can lead to academic probation, suspension, and even dismissal.
You've heard all the advice on avoiding those fates—make sure you get to class every day, study hard, and nod so your professors think you're paying attention. Here's a piece of advice you may not have heard, but that can sometimes be the difference between success and failure at CC: make sure you have someone from the Lento Law Firm on your side.
Here's the thing—understanding how to navigate CC's complex bureaucracy can sometimes do as much to improve your grades as understanding the periodic table. You need to know who to contact if you need to miss class for a funeral or if a professor just doesn't seem to like you. It helps to be able to negotiate with faculty. And do you know where to go if you think you might have a learning disability?
Attorneys are especially skilled at handling bureaucracy, and the Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team is focused entirely on educational bureaucracy. We know every rule and regulation at Columbia College and how to use them all to your benefit. If you're struggling to keep your GPA up, we have strategies that can help.
You'll find a number of concrete examples of what we mean below. Before we get into that, though, it's important you know how to contact us for help. Call 888-535-3686 today, or take a little time now and tell us what kind of problem you're facing.
Academic Progress Standards at Columbia College
Let's start simple. First and foremost, what does it take to stay out of academic trouble at CC? Second, what happens if, despite your best efforts, you should find yourself struggling?
Columbia College maintains something known as an academic standing policy. That policy explains exactly what you need to do to remain in “good” standing. It also sets up additional status categories you can fall into if you fall out of good standing.
- Good Standing: CC uses a sliding scale to determine good standing, and that scale is tied to how many hours you've completed. Between 0 and 31 hours, you need a 1.75 to remain in good standing. Between 31 and 46 hours, you need a 1.9. After that point, you need a 2.0.
- Academic Probation: The first stop when you've fallen out of good standing is academic probation. While on probation, you are barred from holding office in any college organization and from participating in intercollegiate athletics.
- Academic Suspension: Columbia College gives you just one semester on probation to return to good standing. If you fail to do that, CC then suspends you for one semester. You may apply for readmission at that point, but your return is not guaranteed.
Should you return from suspension, you return on probation. Failure to earn sufficient quality points to return you to good standing means complete dismissal. Dismissals last for a minimum of three years.
Dealing With Academic Sanctions
Columbia College offers an appeals process for students with extenuating circumstances who have been suspended. A serious bout with depression or a long-term illness could convince the college to allow you an additional term to improve. If this is the situation you're currently in, you should know that the attorneys at the Lento Law Firm can help you document your circumstances and file a compelling appeal.
Not everyone has a clear reason for their academic struggles, though. What do you do if you don't have an extenuating circumstance? For that matter, what do you do if you're facing probation rather than suspension? After all, probation can, in many ways, be problematic in its own right.
Wherever you are in terms of your academic progress, the Lento Law Firm attorney can help. They know very specific strategies for using the CC system to your advantage, and often, these strategies can be enough to keep you out of the danger zone. For instance,
- Instructors sometimes let their prejudices or their own personal circumstances affect their professional judgment. Any time you feel you are being treated unfairly, you should report that to your instructor's department head.
- Consistently low grades often suggest an underlying condition, such as a learning disability. CC's Disability Services office can get you tested. If you do have such a disability, they can make sure you have appropriate course accommodations, and they can get low course grades dropped from your GPA.
- Another common cause of low grades is academic misconduct allegations. If you've been accused of cheating or plagiarism, your instructor can lower the assignment grade or your course grade. You can, however, appeal their findings and sanctions through the college's disciplinary processes.
- You always have the option of asking an instructor for extra credit or makeup work. They can, of course, say no, but you'll usually find that enough agree to keep your GPA where it needs to be.
- You can also try direct negotiations with instructors. Your high final exam grade, for instance, may be sufficient to convince a professor that you deserve a higher course grade.
Your academic advisors may not tell you about these strategies. In fact, they may not know about some of them. They aren't trained to help you use the system effectively. Lento Law Firm attorneys are. They'll go over your specific academic situation and come up with a plan to get you back on track. Then, they'll work with you to implement that plan, whether it involves filing a formal appeal or making sure disability services provides you with proper testing. We're on your side, no matter what.
What Can the Lento Law Firm Do For You?
Your Columbia College diploma is far more than just a piece of paper. It's your avenue to a successful career. If it's under threat for any reason, you can't afford to try and handle the problem by yourself. College processes and procedures can be complex and difficult to navigate, and often, you will find the system is stacked against you. You need the very best help you can get, someone who is in your corner and ready to fight on your behalf.
The Lento Law Firm's Education Law Team has helped hundreds of students, just like you, respond to academic progress issues and make it to graduation. What can we do for you? To find out, call us today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.
